Current instructor

Michael Wagner

/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.76/5 from 33 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

J201 · course not matched
Quality 4/5Difficulty 3/5
Prof Wagner's lectures are really engaging and interesting as he uses his own research in his class. The class can get political because of this, but he keeps a very unbias view when explaining different sides. The readings are sometimes lengthy but should be read, because you are expected to give two speeches in section based off of them.
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J201 · course not matched
Quality 4/5Difficulty 2/5
Professor Wagner made a great well-rounded class with fair grades and expectations on work. That being said he on multiple occasions told students angrily to "shut up" in lecture. Overall, he was fantastic lecturer, and I understand managing a class for underclassmen can be frustrating, but how he addressed students in lecture felt unprofessional.
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J201 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
I took professor Wanger for J201 and if I wasn't already sure I wanted to do journalism, he was the nail in the coffin. Incredibly charismatic person and amazing, engaging lecturer
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J201 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
prowag is a funny and engaging lecturer. He made the material interesting, and other lecturers no doubt would have made it a snooze fest. He is also very well accredited and generally an obvious expert on the material, so he can talk in-depth and answer further questions well.
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J335 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
Prof. Wagner is literally the best. Very encouraging and kind, yet also down-to-business and knowledgeable. I highly encourage you take any course you can with Prof. Wagner.
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J201 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
Pro Wag made me fall in love with Journalism, and now I'm in the school and loving it. He has a positive energy as a professor, and made 9am lecture enjoyable and enlightening. Taking 201 with him freshman year pushed my boundaries in the best ways. Discussions were stressful, but that's due to our TA...Highly recommend taking Pro Wag's classes :)
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with Michael Wagner

Introduction to mass communication covering the organization, function, technology, economics, politics, and social implications of mass media in modern society.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Michael Wagner is described as a passionate and clear lecturer who presents content in an engaging and fun manner. Reviewers find his classes enjoyable and fast-paced, leading to a strong recommendation for his instruction.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

JOURN 682 is a senior honors thesis course involving mentored individual research and study for journalism majors completing their honors requirements.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sample

JOURN 697 is an advanced directed study course where students arrange projects based on internship experience with faculty supervision.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

No recorded grade history

JOURN 699 is a directed study course allowing students to arrange advanced projects with faculty.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2017: 3.67 GPA, 66.7% A/AB (n=6 letter grades); Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2025 · limited sample
JOURN 990

Thesis

1–9 credits

JOURN 990 is an advanced thesis course providing mentored reading and research for students with dissertator status.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

No recorded grade history

JOURN 999 is an advanced mentored reading and research course for dissertators.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sample

Recorded teaching history

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Fall 2026JOURN 201Introduction to Mass Communication
Fall 2026JOURN 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2026JOURN 682Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2026JOURN 691Senior Thesis
Fall 2026JOURN 692Senior Thesis
Fall 2026JOURN 697Internship
Fall 2026JOURN 699Directed Study
Fall 2026JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2026JOURN 999Independent Research Problems

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

Instructor identity & provenance
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